Business Buzz

By Mary Alys Cherry

Hospital named Top Performer
Clear Lake Regional Medical Center has been recognized as a 2014 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the United States.

It is one of only 1,043 hospitals out of more than 3,300 eligible hospitals in the United States to achieve the 2014 Top Performer distinction.

The Top Performer program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions. The performance measures included in the recognition program including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children’s asthma, inpatient psychiatric services, stroke, venous thromboembolism, perinatal care, immunization, tobacco treatment and substance use.

Port job creation surged in 2015
Nearly 148,000 new jobs have been generated by cargo and vessel activity at Port of Houston terminals since 2011, Port of Houston Authority Chairman Janiece Longoria announced during the Greater Houston Partnership’s annual State of the Port event.

An economic impact study by Martin Associates determined that public and private marine terminals at the Port of Houston had a statewide economic impact of $265 billion in 2014, which is 16 percent of Texas’ total gross domestic product, Longoria said. The study shows the port’s economic value to the state since 2011 increased $82 billion, or 45 percent, she said.

“The Port of Houston is the leading driver for the greater Houston region for creating jobs and economic opportunity,” Chairman Longoria said. Total jobs supported by Port of Houston marine terminals now totals nearly 1.175 million in Texas. The full economic impact report is available at www.portofhouston.com.